Uncle John and Auntie Karen's Visit

We had the wonderful privilege of hosting Garth's brother John and sister-in-law Karen for 10 days in June and the beginning of July.  They were en route to Australia for Karen to attend a conference.  Our days were filled with being tourists with them in our own community, going to Penang sights, eating the local food, and generally experiencing what Malaysian culture is all about.  Below is one picture from each of the places that John and Karen went.  For more pictures and a few more written details, go to their blog:  John and Karen's Travel Adventures (the credit for most of the pictures below goes to John and Karen from their blog) .   The red highlighted names are the names of some of the places we went.

Fruit sampling plate at the Tropical Fruit Farm.

The Tropical Spice Garden is a scenic park that features different spice plants growing (and one of the former locations for a speed bump in the 'Amazing Race'),

and here for lunch after the Tropical Spice Garden.  


One of many monkeys roaming wild at the Botanical Gardens.

This is one of the views inside the Kek Lok Si Temple. 

The view from Penang Hill of Georgetown, one of the main cities in our area.

This is the Town Hall in downtown Georgetown (used years ago as part of the location for

the movie 'Anna and the King' and also for one of the detour challenges for the 'Amazing Race').
Georgetown has its own Chinatown and Little India which we walked through, as well as the Penang Museum that chronicles the history of the area and its three main cultural groups.

Spending time at the beach is always enjoyable, just watch out for the jellyfish.

Auntie Karen doing some batik painting.

Garth and John enjoyed drinking a Starbucks overlooking the boardwalk at Strait's Quay, looking at the large boats moored there.


We went swimming a couple of times at two local pools.
This picture is an aerial view of the pool at the Paradise Hotel.

Fine dining or . . .

local dining, and of course . . .

dessert (cendol), or if you prefer . . . 

yam (purple) or corn (yellow) ice cream.

Uncle John loved his first experience of parasailing,

or there is always the tamer pursuit of modern mall shopping,


"window" shopping, or . . .


wet market shopping.

We took John and Karen for a tour of our school and its grounds.

 By our front door, saying goodbye.
So glad you came to visit, John and Karen!